Everything you need to know about running a pub

Running your own pub can be an exciting and challenging venture. But there’s a lot you need to know and learn, so it certainly pays to ensure that you understand the basics before jumping in head first, especially if you have little or no experience.

So here’s our guide to some of the things you need to know about running your own pub:

Your personal skills will take you a long way

To run a successful pub, it’s important that your personal skills are on point. After all, you’ll be spending the majority of your day meeting new people, managing your team, and interacting with suppliers, etc.

With this in mind, the following skills are essential:

Strong interpersonal skills

Motivation, drive, and determination to succeed

Entrepreneurial skills to try new and exciting ventures when the market allows

A energetic, approachable and accommodating personality

The ability to remain calm and in control under stressful situations

Strong management and leadership skills

Staff management and training

Your staff will become the ultimate driving force behind your day-to-day operations, so it’s important that you employ the right people for the right roles.

After all, your team is your biggest asset and, providing you have the right staff, they can also take a lot of the stress away from running your own pub.

With this in mind, you should take some time to map out your management style, and fully understand what you will expect from your staff. There are a whole host of management courses that will help you to determine the most successful management styles for your requirements. This will also help you to identify the best staff training methods.

Have you got a personal license?

All individuals that take on the responsibility of running a pub must hold a personal license - this is a legal requirement for anyone who sells alcohol.

All pub landlords must also adhere to the Licensing Act 2003. Failure to comply with this legal requirement could land you in deep trouble or even force the immediate closure of your establishment.

Focusing on public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and the prevention of crime and disorder, the license will allow you to run a happy, safe, and welcoming pub environment.

Stock Control

Stock control comes hand in hand with running a successful pub, and it’s an everyday task that you should try and nail from the moment you open your doors to the public.

Allowing you to maximise profits, whilst ensuring that your customers’ glasses never run dry, learning how to successfully monitor your stock will also stop you from running into cash flow difficulties and other problems such as over stocking and food and drink shortages.

If you don’t have any experience, don’t worry! There are plenty of stock management programs that you can go on to perfect your skills.

You’ll also have to keep on top of day-to-day maintenance

Did you know that when you’re running your own pub, you will also be expected to keep on top of day-to-day maintenance tasks?

So this includes tasks such as cleaning, preventative maintenance and general cleaning. After all, first impressions count and it’s important that you create a space that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but is also clean and tidy.

How to make your pub successful

There are a whole host of opportunities that come hand in hand with running your own pub, especially when it comes to extending your reach, exploring new business opportunities and of course, maximising growth.

With this in mind, developing a business plan that is ambitious yet realistic should become a top priority, as this will help you to pinpoint objectives and goals that will get you where you want to be!

Food and Drink

Pubs are the ultimate social environments, attracting customers of all ages! So the more you do to establish your pub as a great place to eat, drink and socialise, the more profitable your business will be!

And with more and more people eating out, it goes without saying that factoring food into your business offering is ultimate way to maximise profits.

Creating the perfect menu will provide you with a great opportunity to set your business apart for your competitors. For example, you could choose to incorporate a delicious selection of great British pub classic dishes, or alternatively, you could always offer something different!

Either way, you will need to employ a Head Chef and kitchen staff that you can trust. This is your reputation on the line, and it’s important that you employ capable, skilled and driven individuals that are able to run this side of the business for you.